The invention concerns cosmetic compositions for the treatment of hair or skin, having a content of new, macromolecular quaternary compounds derived from chitosan, in a suitable cosmetic foundation.
Also included within the scope of the present invention are the new quaternary chitosan derivatives per se, as well as processes for their production.
It is already known to employ cation-active polymers, particularly polymers which have quaternary ammonium groups, as conditioning means in cosmetic compositions, particularly for the treatment of hair. Based upon a reciprocal action between their ammonium groups and the anionic groups of the hair, the cation-active polymers possess a great affinity for keratin fibers.
It has been found that the employment of such cation-active polymers in cosmetic compositions of this type provide numerous advantages: the disentanglement of the hair as well as its treatment are facilitated, and, moreover, the hair is provided with elasticity and luster. However, on account of the affinity towards keratin these polymers tend to accumulate on the hair with repeated use, so that the hair becomes heavier, a final effect which is undesirable.
Moreover, problems arise with synthetic polymers on account of the physiological activity of possibly present monomer traces, which can be removed from the polymers only with difficulty.
It has already been attempted to avoid these disadvantages by employing in such cosmetic compositions watersoluble salts of chitosan, i.e., polyglucosamine, prepared by means of deacetylation of chitin. In this connection, reference is made to the European patent 0 002 506 as well as the German Pat. No. 26 27 419.
In similar manner as with the majority of cation-active polymers with quaternary groupings, chitosan likewise frequently produces the disadvantage that it is only slightly compatible with the anion-active surface-active agents that are customarily employed in cosmetic compositions for the treatment of hair, in particular shampoos. It is, therefore, necessary to provide the chitosan in separate treatments, namely before and/or after the shampooing.
The chitosan furthermore proves to be practically insoluble in neutral and alkaline medium, so that its employment is not possible for example, in alkaline permanent waving compositions or hair coloring compositions.